The Prize
by Mush's Skittles
Summary: I'm gonna do it taday. -Keep ya eye on the prize, Kid,- I think, as I try to convince myself I gots the guts ta do this. Slashy.


Disclaimer: Don't own anything Disney. Don't own Craig David's song Rise and Fall either.  
  
  
  
Well, ya know, it was a really long day.  
  
So I make up my mind.  
  
I 'm gonna do it taday.  
  
Ima tell im.  
  
Cause I need im tonight.  
  
But then it all got fecked up.  
  
I was headin to'ard im, ringin my hat, hands sweating, my heart in my throat.  
  
"Hey, Blink! Blink!" Damn.  
  
"What Race?" I don't take my eyes off im. Race is talking but I ain't listenin.  
  
Keep ya eye on the prize, Kid, I think, as I try to convince myself I gots the guts ta do this.  
  
And I's all ready to take the step forward, and whaddo I get? A smack on the side a my face.  
  
"Yo, Blink.ya in there?" Damn you, Race, I was gonna do it. I was gonna feckin do it.  
  
"What Race?"  
  
"So I was thinking, ya should come ta Sheep's Head wid me. Cause I tell ya, ya got a knack fo numba's, and a streak a luck.."  
  
His voice joins the clatter of the other newsies talking. I ain't listenin again, and I knows I'ma pay for it so I peel my eye off my quarry and stare Race in the face. Still don't hear a word e's sayin, but I can hear familiar laughter from across the room.  
  
"So waddaya say?"  
  
"Ain't sayin nothin', Race.." I was loosing my momentum. I wanted it back.  
  
I thought of his smile, my aching feet, my aching everything..  
  
"Race, I gotta go.tawk ta me 'bout it ladar, aright?" He shrugs, sighs, and walks away.  
  
I don't watch im, I turn my eyes onta the pale olive skin, warm smile, dancing brown eyes, curly fluff of a head..  
  
I'm gonna do it.  
  
I give my self a pep talk.  
  
I'm gonna do it, gonna do it, gonna feckin' do it right now.  
  
I stick my hat up perched on my hair, grab my belt buckle, and chew my lip. I feel like I need a smoke, but now ain't the time.  
  
I tell my feet to go, and they do, left, right, left, right.. To the smiling lips, the laughing eyes, even as he looses a game a stand off and falls against the cement wall. I watch loose pieces crumble into his hair.  
  
I'm walkin and I'm there.. And I feel like my Ima vomit my heart up through my ears or something. whatever it is, it ain't natural.  
  
And I think, what the hell's wrong wid me? Ain't never felt like this 'round im before..  
  
Well, ya know, it was a long day. And I ain't had much of a lunch.  
  
"Hey Mush." I say, my voice crackin like some kid. I covers it up wid a cough.  
  
"Yeah? Blink?" 'e says, an gets up for another game. "Hey, wan' play?"  
  
"Act'lly. I needed ta tawk." But he's aready settin up for the game. I'm scrapin bits and pieces a leather off my belt wid my thumb.  
  
"What was dat Blink?" He'd been explaining the rules. I know the rules.  
  
"Nothin." I say. I stand on tha line, and we play.  
  
We teeter and totter on the line we s'posta stay on, smackin hands, pushin eachother.  
  
I start to have some fun, and my heart goes back down to my chest. I laugh and he laughs. His hat falls off and I catch it. He takes it back and his fingers brush mine. I remember why I love this kid so much. He's just so damn fun.  
  
And finally, I fake 'im out. He's leanin so far forward, I think if 'e gets any closer we'll be kissin.  
  
And his arms fly like wagon wheels backward, and he's laughin.. I've shut up. I begin to notice the possibilities of this position.  
  
Then he falls. Right on top of me. I feel 'is forehead smash inta my mouth, 'n I can taste blood in me mouth where I bites my lip. Hoits like a mutha, but I ain't complainin.  
  
'E gets himself up on 'is 'ands but he ain't makin a move ta get off me yet. 'e's smiling like a lunatic, and sure as hell I am too.  
  
"Whadyou wanna talk bout, Kid?" He asks widout movin his lips much. I ain't sure if 'e's said it or not.  
  
"Thought you didn't hear dat." I murmured. He ain't moved an inch yet.  
  
The whole world is 'is face.  
  
"I hear every'tin ya say."  
  
Then it seems ta be way to much, way to quiet between us. I fling 'im off me and stand up.  
  
"I need a smoke."  
  
I leave 'im sittin on da floor, frownin. I don't look at those puppy dog eyes 'e's been throwin' at me ever since we was first best friends. I walk out, hand on my belt, callin out ta Race and Jack, and Skittery, noddin, waving.  
  
And so, I didn't tell im dat night.  
  
I sit on the stoop, takin deep breaths of tha smoke, feelin it calm me down.  
  
I don't feel the urgency anymore. I feel it's all it's gonna be.  
  
I feel it's all I need.  
  
Sometimes in life, ya feel da fight is ova, and it seems as though tha writin's on tha wall.  
  
I figure, one way or anudda, we'll be tagetha.  
  
And sure as hella 'nuff, soon as I thunk on 'im there 'e was, a hand on my shoulda.  
  
"Well, ya know, it was a long day."  
  
I nod. He sits. We sit.  
  
Maybe tamarra. 


End file.
